Topic Sentence:
(Personality trait) and (Personality trait) are two of (main character’s
name)’s character traits that are worth mentioning.
Detail and Explanation 1
In the story, (“Title of story” )by “author,” character’s name’s own
(actions/words/thoughts) prove that he/she (personality trait #1). “(Detail # 1 and
page # )” This demonstrates ________________________. (What might someone
with an opposite character trait have done?)
Transition + Detail and Explanation 2
Not only do (Character’s name)’s (actions/words/thoughts) reveal his or her
(Personality trait # 1), they also reveal his/her (Personality trait #2). (detail # 2 and
page #) (Why does this character do/say/think this?) This willingness to (describe
the action in your own words) shows his or her (Personality trait # 2).
Wrap Up + Concluding Sentence:
These two traits, (personality trait # 1) and (“personality trait # 2), are traits that
most readers (want to emulate or avoid having.)Perhaps that’s what makes
Character’s name such a likeable/unlikeable character: we hope that we would
show or not show the same strengths or weaknesses if we were in main
character’s name place.
Example
Cruelty and jealousy are two of Margot‟s classmates‟ character
traits that are worth mentioning. In the story, “All Summer in a Day”
by Ray Bradbury, Margot‟s classmates‟ own actions prove that they are
cruel individuals. “They stood looking at the door and saw it tremble
from her beating and throwing herself against it. They heard her
muffled cries. Then, smiling, they turned and went out and back down
the tunnel” (267). This action demonstrates their cruelty. Kids usually
do play mean tricks on each other, but the average kid would have been
touched by the fact that Margot was crying and would have set her
free. Not only do Margot‟s classmates‟ actions reveal their cruelty,
their words also reveal their jealousy. “ It‟s like a penny,‟ she said once,
eyes closed. „No, it‟s not!‟ the children cried. „It‟s like a fire,‟ she said,
„in the stove.‟ „You‟re lying, you don‟t remember!‟ cried the
children”(266). They don‟t credit Margot‟s memory of the sun because
they envy the fact that she has been able to experience and enjoy the
sun longer than they have. They have lived their whole lives on Venus
and have had to deal with its environment. Their willingness to dismiss
her opinions about the sun shows that they are jealous of Margot.
Jealous people tend to put you down or make you feel like you don‟t
count when you‟ve got something they don‟t. In this story, Margot has
memories of the sun and her classmates don‟t. These two traits,
cruelty and jealousy are traits that most readers want to avoid having.
Perhaps that‟s what makes Margot‟s classmates such unlikeable
characters: we hope that we would not show the same weaknesses if we
were in Margot‟s classmates‟ place.
Writing Prompt:
Complete your character assertion chart for one character in the
following stories “Ana,” “Leona,” “Papa‟s Parrot” “The Bullying” or “All
Summer in a Day” (Margot).
CHARACTERIZATION PARAGRAPH
In a characterization paragraph, one chooses just one character
from a work of fiction and analyzes how the author conveys that
character's personality. In other words, what traits or attributes
does that character have? Is he/she impulsive? patient? wise? loyal? a
risk-taker? easily-angered? (USE YOUR CHART) And how to those
traits make the character likeable or believable?
Use the template to help you plan and organize your paragraph.
____________ and _____________ are two of
Personality trait #1
Personality trait #2
______________‟s character traits worth mentioning. In the story,
Name of main character
Choose
one
only
______________by _____________ __________________‟s own
Title of the story
Author
Name of the character
Choose
one
only
(actions/words/thoughts) prove that he/she is _____________.
Personality trait #1
Add details from the book
to prove your point
“____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
________________________________________________”(P.)
This demonstrates that _______________ is _____________
Name of the character
Personality trait #1
because someone who is not __________________ would have
Personality trait #1
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Choose
one
_____________________________________________________
Not only do ________________‟s (actions/words/thoughts) reveal
Name of the character
Choose
one
his or her ______________they also reveal his/her ___________ .
Add details from the book
to prove your point
Personality trait #1
Personality trait #2
“____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________”
(P.)
Explanation:
This detail shows______________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
These two traits, ____________ and ________________ are traits
Personality trait #1
Personality trait #2
that most readers want to (emulate or avoid having.)Perhaps that‟s
what makes __________________ such a (likeable/unlikeable )
Main Character
character: we hope that we (would show or would not show) the same
(strengths or weaknesses) if we were in _________________‟s
place.
Main Character